San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter (22). Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The San Antonio Spurs hit the ground running on the first day of free agency, agreeing to contracts with forwards Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green and trading center Tiago Splitter to clear room to potentially sign free-agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
Leonard agreed to a five-year, $90 million maximum deal moments into free agency, and Green agreed to stay via a four-year, $45 million contract.
Leonard was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2014, when he averaged 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in a five-game win over the Miami Heat.
Green has been one of the best perimeter shooters in the NBA since joining the Spurs. He’s one of five players in the NBA to shoot over 40 percent from 3-point range and make 500-plus 3-pointers, according to ESPN Stats and Research.
Trading Splitter will free $8.5 million in cap space as the Spurs pursue Aldridge. San Antonio was scheduled to meet with the Portland Trail Blazers All-Star, who is in the middle of a seven-team tour. Aldridge could take a short-term deal from the Spurs with an eye on returning to free agency next season or later, when the salary cap structure — and maximum contract levels — are expected to change dramatically.
